Windows 11: THE SUCCESSOR
“Instead of thinking of you working for Microsoft, think of how Microsoft can work for you.”― Satya Nadella
A milestone in the history of Windows.
Windows 11, the first significant update to the Windows platform since Windows 10 launch in 2015, is hitting general availability on October 5. As the date approaching, you might be speculating how it compares to Windows 10.
Before Comparing, let’s talk about Windows 10. Microsoft said Windows 10 will continue to be supported through 2025, and Microsoft mentioned it is “still the right choice.” So don’t worry if your PC is not supported for Windows 11.
The hardware requirements for Windows 11 are
Recently Microsoft changed the requirement from TPM 2.0 to TPM 1.2, but Microsoft is not sure about future updates.
The new version of the windows operating System has few changes from its predecessor.
User interface
Microsoft has focused on visuals. Windows 11 features a clean design with rounded corners. The Start menu also moves to the center of the screen along with the Taskbar, but you can move it back to the left if you prefer, as it was in previous versions of windows.
System apps UI is also revamped and improved.
Other changes include
- Redesigned Settings app for Windows 11
- New Windows Setup screen
- New Windows Search experience
- New Task View (Windows Timeline) Experience
- New icons on the Desktop, File Manager, Control Panel
- Quick Actions menu from the Notifications is clubbed with the Calendar
- Live Tiles feature that almost no one used was removed
The Microsoft Store and Android support
The app store in Windows 11 and 10 will be similar but with a new user interface. Windows 11’s app store will support Android apps via the Amazon Appstore, though it’s restricted for insiders only and will be available for everyone in 2022.
Android apps can run on the desktop in a separate window with Snap Layouts, and you can add android apps to the Taskbar and Start menu. Even though this is Intel technology, AMD users can run Android apps natively on Windows 11.
Security: The LEAP
One of the biggest changes to Windows system requirements with Windows 11 is that the OS is now only available on 64-bit processors. Microsoft is not releasing a 32-bit version of Windows 11. However, 32-bit apps will continue to work just fine. With Windows 11, the hardware encryption, namely TPM 2.0, will make the operating System very secure and will stop most viruses and trojans from activating during boot itself.
Microsoft is also limiting official support for Windows 11 PCs to those on Intel 8th-generation and above. This means that a CPU older than 8th Gen Intel won’t officially run Windows 11 when released later this year. Recently Microsoft added support for few 7th gen processors.
Microsoft has also increased the necessary drive storage from 16GB to 64GB with Windows 11. The RAM is also bumped up to 4GB from 2GB.
Improved Multitasking
Windows 10 can snap windows into different sides of the screen to better organize the user's workspace. The snap function in Windows 11 has been updated with several grid-based layout options that let you set up your open apps just how you want them. With the new Snap groups feature, Windows 11 will memorize which applications you opened in the past and in which layout, so you can quickly revert to that layout.
Improved touchscreen input and Tablet mode
Windows 11 brings a new touchscreen experience with a new touchscreen keyboard, better Windows Ink support, new battery usage stats, a bigger taskbar, and more space between icons on the Taskbar.
Windows 11 is more like an iPad when you switch your device to a tablet, making things easier to touch. Microsoft also added gestures for opening and closing windows, switching between desktops, and also added new options in the Windows Ink Workspace. Windows 11 also introduces voice typing commands across the System.
From Skype to Teams
Teams are now simply a part of Windows, including for consumers more like Apple’s FaceTime and free to use. Teams are available on other platforms too. Since Skype is losing userbase, and users are moving to more collaborative alternatives, Microsoft decided to replace Skype from Windows 11 with Microsoft Teams.
Gaming Improvements
Windows 11 integrates many features from the latest Xbox Series X like Auto HDR and Directstorage.
The directorate will allow games to load faster from the NVMe SSDs. Moreover, it will also load graphics assets faster.
AutoHDR feature will add HDR enhancements to the games that are built on DirectX 11 or higher. It makes older games more vibrant than before, but for that, you need to turn on Auto HDR on Windows 11 and have compatible hardware.
Another significant change in terms of gaming is the introduction of the Xbox Game Pass on Windows 11. So you can play new titles from Xbox Game Studios and Bethesda and gain access to more than 100 different games. With Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, you can experience Xbox Cloud Gaming from a web browser and enjoy Xbox titles even on a low-end PC.
Thoughts
Mostly windows 11 will have a lot of bugs at its initial release, just like what happened with windows 10, where patches were released on the very day windows 10 was released. Similarly, windows 11 still has not gone through a proper evaluation cycle. If it had, it would have been released with native android support, which means the OS is yet not complete and is being released in a hurry.
So users should be careful before updating to windows 11 without reading reviews. At least wait for a week to 10 days for reviews to be published with all the bug reports. Then only decide to switch over. It’s pertinent that you take a complete backup of your important files before updating or installing windows 11.
In conclusion to keep things simple make sure you read the above information and take suitable precautions while updating window 10 to windows 11. As we look to next year and beyond, whether it’s to work, create, connect, learn or play, the PC will continue to play a relevant and lasting role in our lives.
